Cable and process for manufacturing the same

Abstract

A cable for applications which entails heavy mechanical stresses and/or harsh environmental conditions includes at least one core having at least one transmissive element and an outer sheath disposed in radially external position with respect to the core. The outer sheath includes a reinforcing layer including a fibril reinforced polymeric matrix. A process for manufacturing such a cable includes the steps of providing a core having at least a transmissive element; providing a first compound of fibrils and a matrix; and applying the first compound around the core to form the reinforcing layer including the fibril reinforced polymeric matrix. The invention also deals with the use of fibrils for the manufacturing of a coating layer for a cable.

1 - 24 . (canceled) 
   
   
       25 . A cable comprising:
 at least one core having at least one transmissive element; and   an outer sheath disposed in radially external position with respect to said core, wherein said sheath comprises at least one reinforcing layer comprising a fibril reinforced polymeric matrix.   
   
   
       26 . The cable according to  claim 25 , comprising a heavy-cable. 
   
   
       27 . The cable according to  claim 25 , wherein said outer sheath comprises at least one reinforcing layer consisting of a fibril reinforced polymeric matrix. 
   
   
       28 . The cable according to  claim 27 , wherein said outer sheath consists of one reinforcing layer consisting of a fibril reinforced polymeric matrix. 
   
   
       29 . The cable according to  claim 25 , wherein the fibril reinforced polymeric matrix comprises 1 to 30 phr of fibrils. 
   
   
       30 . The cable according to  claim 29 , wherein the fibril reinforced polymeric matrix comprises 2 to 15 phr of fibrils. 
   
   
       31 . The cable according to  claim 25 , wherein fibrils comprise a material selected from polymeric material, carbon material, lignocellulosic material, glass material and metallic material. 
   
   
       32 . The cable according to  claim 31 , wherein the fibril material is a polymeric material. 
   
   
       33 . The cable according to  claim 32 , wherein the polymeric material is selected from polyamide and polypropylene. 
   
   
       34 . The cable according to  claim 33 , wherein the polyamide is an aromatic polyamide. 
   
   
       35 . The cable according to  claim 34 , wherein the aromatic polyamide is poly-para-phenylene terephthalamide. 
   
   
       36 . The cable according to  claim 25 , wherein the fibrils have an average length of 0.1 to 2 mm. 
   
   
       37 . The cable according to  claim 25 , wherein the polymeric matrix comprises an elastomeric material. 
   
   
       38 . The cable according to  claim 25 , wherein the matrix comprises a material selected from: natural rubber, ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, polychloroprene, chlorinated polyethylene, styrene-butadiene rubber and acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber. 
   
   
       39 . The cable according to  claim 25 , wherein the outer sheath comprises at least one layer of non-fibril-reinforced polymeric material. 
   
   
       40 . The cable according to  claim 25 , comprising a plurality of cores and a bedding. 
   
   
       41 . The cable according to  claim 40 , wherein the bedding comprises a polymeric material selected from natural rubber, ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, polychloroprene, chlorinated polyethylene, styrene-butadiene rubber and acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber. 
   
   
       42 . A process for manufacturing a cable, comprising the steps of:
 providing a core having at least a transmissive element; and   applying a first compound of fibrils and a matrix around the core to form a reinforcing layer comprising a fibril reinforced polymeric matrix, said reinforcing layer being disposed in radially external position with respect to said core.   
   
   
       43 . The process according to  claim 42 , further comprising the step of providing at least one bedding between the core and the reinforcing layer. 
   
   
       44 . The process according to  claim 43 , wherein the bedding is provided by extruding a second compound on the core. 
   
   
       45 . The process according to  claim 44 , wherein the second compound is a polymeric material. 
   
   
       46 . The process according to  claim 44 , wherein the first compound and the second compound are co-extruded on the core. 
   
   
       47 . A method for manufacturing a cable comprising providing fibrils as a coating layer for the cable. 
   
   
       48 . The method according to  claim 47 , wherein the layer is a reinforcing coating layer.